Upper Darby police have received autopsy results that show the death of a 4-month-old baby boy in November was a homicide and all four family members who were present in the house when the child was found unresponsive are now refusing to cooperate with autorities, according to police.

Cops: 4-month-old was killed

Stephanie Farr

Posted:
Monday, May 7, 2012, 5:40 AM

Upper Darby police have received autopsy results that show the death of a 4-month-old baby boy in November was a homicide and all four family members who were present in the house when the child was found are now refusing to cooperate with authorities, according to police.

The infant was found unresponsive in his home around 3:30 a.m. on Nov. 6 and was taken to Delaware County Memorial Hospital, where doctors were able to get the boy breathing again, said Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood.

The child, who showed no visible signs of trauma, was then transported to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia where he died four days later, police said.

On May 1st, police received autopsy results that showed the boy had a fractured right femur bone, which is consistent with child abuse, Chitwood said. Beyond that, the child's cause of death was listed as a cranial issue and the manner of death was listed as homicide, Chitwood said.

There were four family members in the house with the child when he was found unresponsive - his 38-year-old mother, his 17-year-old sister, his 21-year-old cousin and a 38-year-old family friend whom the children referred to as an uncle, Chitwood said.

While all four were initially cooperative with police, once the death was ruled a homicide the family lawyered up and became uncooperative, he said.

"They know who killed that baby. It's a family member that killed this kid and they're not cooperating and that's a disgrace," Chitwood said. "The police care more about this child than the family does."

Chitwood is slated to hold a press conference this afternoon to urge the responsible party to come forward.